Like Daughter, Like Mother
by powerpumpkin
Summary: A Summers woman is called during the battle with the First, changing their destiny for the better.
1. Like Mother, Like Daughter

"Dawn comes with me."

Buffy felt that should be Dawn's decision, but she wasn't about to argue with her mother. They were both better off away from Sunnydale. Buffy had tried to send Dawn away with Xander only to come home and find Xander nursing a migraine and then she received a kick to the shins from Dawn.

"Mom! No, I want to fight." Joyce wasn't going to accept any argument.

"Dawn pack a bag. I want you nowhere near Sunnydale in case..." She faltered. Buffy looked sad for a moment before her "General" face came back. Joyce has taken to naming the various sides of her eldest daughter's characters. There was her "baby" "the slayer" and "General Buffy", as in 'sir, yes sir' General.

Being responsible for the lives of so many girls had forced Buffy to adapt yet again and "General Buffy" was born. She was compassionate but remained as emotionally detached from the potential slayers as she could, knowing many would die. Joyce had been there through it all and watched, sometimes in amazement and sometimes with caution, but always with pride, as Buffy overcame every hurdle the First Evil had put in her path.

Joyce could see Dawn was about to argue again but she had no more energy to argue. She didn't want to leave any of her children to face whatever Fate had in store for them. Joyce thought back on everything that had happened since moving to Sunnydale as Dawn and Buffy argued.

When she first moved to Sunnydale Joyce had opened her gallery and led a fairly happy life with her daughters despite the constant danger. She had dated and fallen in love, been placed under spells and even kidnapped. She had died of cancer and was mysteriously brought back to not long after Buffy had been. She had left Sunnydale before on Buffy's request when the Mayor was going to ascend but she hadn't felt the sense of dread she felt about leaving this time. She just knew something was going to be different this time... something big was in store for Joyce Summers. The more she thought about it the more sure she felt.

Coming back to the present Joyce decided she would rather be with both her daughters in the fight.

"We're staying. We're going to fight."

Silence. Everyone was looking at her. Only Kennedy's facial expression showed anything other than confusion, she looked impressed.

Buffy spoke first, her voice pleading. "Mom you can't..."

"No Buffy! This is the right thing to do. You can't ask me to leave you behind, not this time. We're Summers' women, we'll be Summers until we die and if that's tomorrow than by whatever higher powers are out there we'll be together!"

Dawn sprung into her mothers arms and hugged her tightly. Joyce returned the embrace. Buffy looked on longingly. Buffy seemed to deflate and she quickly joined Dawn in embracing their mum.

"You better not die."

"I won't sweetie."

"Oh!" Squealed Anya who also joined the embrace.

The night passed and the next day found the extended Scooby Gang marching through the front doors of Sunnydale High.

****

"Oh"

****

Buffy stood with all the potentials looking down on the Ubervamps. "Come on Willow."

****

"... my..."

****

Joyce was in the atrium with Xander and Dawn. Xander was fidgeting and Dawn was scolding him for making her nervous. Joyce however felt an odd anticipation.

****

"...Goddess."

****

"These guys are dust."

****

"Mom, are you okay?" Dawn ran to Joyce who was propping herself up against the wall. Dawn gasped when she looked into Joyce's eyes, something in her mum's eyes made Dawn uncomfortable. "Mom?"

"I'm okay sweetie. Just a head rush I think." Joyce stood up straight and inspected the cross bow she was holding. Xander and Dawn shared a look. "I feel..."

****

In the Hellmouth the battle had begun. The potentials-turned-slayers fought valiantly for their lives but could not keep all the Ubers from escaping up into the school.

****

Dawn's head snapped to the doorway to the atrium. "I think I heard something. I think they're coming."

Behind her Joyce was swatting Xander's hand away. "I'm fine really. I feel great." Xander looked unsure, he didn't want Buffy's mum to die on his watch. "I feel strong." She whispered to herself.

"Get into position," said Joyce. Thundering footsteps could be heard in the hallway.

"Here we go," said Dawn. Mother and daughter looked into each others eyes each trying to convey all their love for the other.

In poured the Ubervamps and Xander sprang forward swinging his sword. He was overwhelmed but Dawn sprung to his rescue. The vamp exploded.

One down, thought Joyce. She let a bolt fly from the cross bow, her aim was perfect considering today was her first time using one. Dawn and Xander were back on their feet and parrying sword strikes.

More vamps filled the room a couple pulled Xander away. Dawn lunged for a rope and pulled, uncovering the skylight letting the suns power dispense the vamps.

A vamp charged at Joyce who gave up trying to arm the crossbow and when the beasts' clawed hand swiped forward at head height she suddenly knew to duck.

She suddenly knew a lot of things. Like when to block, jab, smash the cross bow in its face, kick its side, pull back and surge forward with all her might pushing the beast in the chest.

Dawn and Xander looked on in astonishment as the Ubervamp was knocked off it's feet and into the the corner of the room. Six feet away.

Xander and Dawn shared a look both thinking the same thing... slayer.

The Ubervamp was on its feet again in moments. Dawn reacted as she might with Buffy.

"Mom!" Dawn tossed her sword at Joyce who spun, catching the sword and spinning back to cut off the vamp's head. Dust drifted down behind Joyce, twinkling in the sunlight.

Dawn and Xander looked on in stunned amazement forgetting the Ubervamps. "Mommy?"


	2. The Life of the Summers Women

Joyce stood beside her daughters on the edge of the crater Sunnydale had become. Around them Slayers stood and rested in the ditch by the side of the road, consoling each others and celebrating their victory.

Joyce watched it all quietly, it felt so surreal. This morning she was just a plain old American mom, now she was a Vampire Slayer. It had come as a shock to them all. Was this why she was brought back from death?

Buffy moved through the group to stand in front of Joyce, looking up at her with awe. Joyce looked into her eyes and could see Buffy's mind working fast, it was difficult to tell what Buffy felt.

Buffy's face settled into resolve, for what Joyce wasn't sure.

**

Seven years had passed since the day the First Evil was defeated in Sunnydale; the day the world was changed forever. Vampires and demons had become common knowledge throughout all societies. There was a time when popular opinion said it was cool to be a vampire, and Slayers were seen as the enemy; as terrorists.

Joyce rolled her eyes thinking of Harmony Kendall, who had started it all.

They had faced and destroyed the last major threat to civilisation for their lifetime; Twilight. Twilight was a being of evil set on ridding the world of all magic, starting as per usual, with Slayers; and Willow. The entire world was out to get them and often magic had been their most powerful weapon; or rather Willow was. It was also their downfall many times as Willow's use of magic was like a homing beacon for Twilight, and he sent hordes of demons against them.

It was Oz, Willow's highschool sweetheart, who had played a pivotal role in that war. He had taught them all how to suppress magic. It was a stilted process, often interrupted, but in the end it was key to their success.

Their time with Oz brought them insight as their meditation connected them with higher, purer forms of consciousness. They had to lose in order to gain, the truth hurt sometimes, but they all agreed and swore an oath to that extent. Protecting the world would always come first.

They didn't have to lose anything materially, or sacrifice lives, they were no longer dealing with low level beings.

With Oz's magic-suppressing meditation techniques, the magic seeped out of Willow leaving her mortal once again. It was a long process, painful only mentally. This dissolved Twilight's loophole into the human realm and he ceased to exist, without his purpose.

They had learned it was the will of higher beings that mortals were not to gain the amount of power Willow had, unless through a pure means. Willow had decided to walk that path and after a time magic returned to her. She now incanted no spells, or invoked low level dark forces. She gained magic through a natural process, one that required losing in order to gain.

Joyce's daughter Dawn had decided to follow Willow on this path, Oz showing them the way.

Buffy had retired as a Slayer as soon as possible after the war against Twilight, it had been her plan since the day she learned Joyce had become a Slayer. Xander was given command of the Slayers with Buffy acting as Lord High Admiral, in an advisory capacity.

Xander now lived in the United Kingdom. He spent his time between Slayer headquarters in Scottland and his home in the Devon country-side with his wife Rona, a Slayer, and their twin sons. They visited at Christmas.

Buffy and her husband lived with Joyce, having built themselves a home high in the Tibetan mountains on a grassy plain. Buffy had thrived on the simple life in the outdoors. Giles had come to live with them after Joyce and he tied the knot. It was a beautiful ceremony performed by a Tibetan Lama.

Buffy and Angel, now human after fulfilling the Shanshu prophecy, were expecting their first child any day now. Dawn, Willow and Oz were flying in for the special day.

Life was good for the Summers women, thought Joyce, as she put down her tea and looked out the window.

Joyce saw a black spot on the horizon moving quickly through the air. She moved outside to greet their guests as Willow, Oz and Dawn touched down by the front door.

"Welcome home, sweethearts."

--

The End.

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